This year’s Section 3AA South Sub-Section boys basketball tournament is not typical.
The number one seed had nine losses during the regular season and the number eight seed had nine wins. It stands to reason that pretty much anything can happen during the tournament.
So it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise when Saturday’s quarterfinals saw two higher seeds win and the closest game was the 1-8 matchup.
Top-seeded Jackson County Central held off eighth-seeded St. James Area 62-58 to advance to the sub-section semifinals, where they will play fifth-seeded Redwood Valley, which won 68-61 at fourth-seeded Luverne.
On the other side of the bracket, sixth-seeded Montevideo was an 83-73 winner at third-seeded Windom and second-seeded Pipestone was a 68-53 winner over seventh-seeded Fairmont.
The semifinals are scheduled for Thursday with JCC, 15-9, playing Redwood Valley (13-14) at 6 p.m., followed by Pipestone (13-11) vs. Montevideo (12-13). The winners play at 6 p.m. Saturday in Marshall.
Erik Hesebeck had a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds for JCC. He also had four assists.
Roman Voss had 15 points, six rebounds and four assists, Travis Rogotzke scored nine points and Weston Rowe eight.
Alex Stresemann paced the Saints with 18 points.
SECTION 3AA SOUTH SUB-SECTION BOYS BASKETBALL
Saturday, March 4
Quarterfinals
Jackson County Central 62, St. James Area 58
Redwood Valley 68, Luverne 61
Pipestone 68, Fairmont 53
Montevideo 83, Windom 73
Thursday, March 9
At Windom
Semifinals
Jackson County Central (15-9) vs. Redwood Valley (13-14), 6 p.m.
Pipestone (13-11) vs. Montevideo (12-13), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 11
At SMSU
Championship
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
SECTION 3AA NORTH SUB-SECTION BOYS BASKETBALL
Saturday, March 4
Quarterfinals
Morris/Chokio-Alberta 65, Minnewaska Area 58
New London-Spicer 47, West Central Area 43
Eden Valley-Watkins 74, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 55
Litchfield 52, Paynesville 48
Thursday, March 9
At Willmar
Semifinals
Morris/Chokio-Alberta (20-6) vs. New London-Spicer (15-12), 6 p.m.
Eden Valley-Watkins (21-6) vs. Litchfield (7-20), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 11
At SMSU
Championship
Semifinal winners, 8 p.m.
SECTION 3AA
Thursday, March 16
At SMSU
Championship
South Sub-Section champion vs. North Sub-Section champion, 5 p.m.